What enhancements are included in the firmware up-grade?Epson firmware up-grades include all previous firmware enhancements.Enhancements included in this version are:• Improved ink management capabilites.• The pump motor life is extended.• The capacity of the maintenance tank is increased.• At power up, a sheet is no longer fed from the paper tray.• Corrects image centering printing at 1440dpi on Single Weight Matte, Enhanced Matte, Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper, andArchival Matte sheet media.• “Communication Errors” via a FireWire IEEE1394 connection under Mac OS X and Windows XP are corrected.• The message “DRIVER INK SETTING IS WRONG” is displayed if their is a mismatch between the printers panel inksetting and the driver setting. Previously a command error was reported.• To reduce noise when the printer is turned on, the fan on the main board is turned off.• “UNLOCK PRINT HEAD” is displayed before the initial ink charge if the carriage is locked.• Corrects the condition that resulted in a maintenance call “0080” (date and time not set) when the printer is first turnedon.• Custom paper configuration can be enabled in the Driver or the printers Custom Paper Menu selection not both.• A paper size error no longer occurs when switching between manual feed and the paper cassette when the paper feedbutton is used.• The noise associated with loading Roll paper is reduced.• Nozzle loss caused by a print head cleaning is improved by a change to the print head cleaning process.• When the printer is idle the fan on the main board is turned off making the printer quieter.• Tracing paper media support improved.• Corrects Service Request 00010007 (carriage motor timing) when the printer is powered on.• When loading media eliminates damage to the leading edge of the media.• The “Auto Nozzle Check” from the EPSON Service Utility 2 now functions correctly and ejects the media.• Ink smudges on the edges of the media are eliminated when performing border less printing.• The print head cleaning operation was modified to correct issues related to nozzle loss, air bubbles on the cap assembly,and cross color contamination.• Yellow now prints correctly at the right side of an image when the image size is 1.1mm wider then the media.• Horizontal banding is corrected for the following medias: Single weight Matte Paper, Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper,Premium Luster Photo Paper (250) Roll, Premium Luster Photo Paper (250) Cut sheet, and Premium Semimatte PhotoPaper (250) Cut sheet by improvements made to the paper feed adjustment values for each media.• An additional Yellow test pattern was added to the auto nozzle.• Erroneous paper eject service request 00010033 error is corrected by reducing chatter in the paper eject system.• The Dual CMYK ink set change function is removed. (Dual CMYK is not a supported model in the US)• Automatic Sheet Feeder service request message 00010031 is now reported correctly.• Auto nozzle check pattern, Auto Uni-d/Bi-d adjustment, Status sheet, and the Job information sheet print correctly onany size media.

When I get told that my problems with weirdness clearing blocked nozzles is because I am using 3rd party fine art paper and then it turns out it is really a fault in the design of the printer fixed by a firmware update!

Doing a nozzle clean sequence should not result in the loss of nozzles or entire colours that were working perfectly well before the clean sequence!

What enhancements are included in the firmware up-grade?Epson firmware up-grades include all previous firmware enhancements.Enhancements included in this version are:• Improved ink management capabilites.• The pump motor life is extended.• The capacity of the maintenance tank is increased.• At power up, a sheet is no longer fed from the paper tray.• Corrects image centering printing at 1440dpi on Single Weight Matte, Enhanced Matte, Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper, andArchival Matte sheet media.• “Communication Errors” via a FireWire IEEE1394 connection under Mac OS X and Windows XP are corrected.• The message “DRIVER INK SETTING IS WRONG” is displayed if their is a mismatch between the printers panel inksetting and the driver setting. Previously a command error was reported.• To reduce noise when the printer is turned on, the fan on the main board is turned off.• “UNLOCK PRINT HEAD” is displayed before the initial ink charge if the carriage is locked.• Corrects the condition that resulted in a maintenance call “0080” (date and time not set) when the printer is first turnedon.• Custom paper configuration can be enabled in the Driver or the printers Custom Paper Menu selection not both.• A paper size error no longer occurs when switching between manual feed and the paper cassette when the paper feedbutton is used.• The noise associated with loading Roll paper is reduced.• Nozzle loss caused by a print head cleaning is improved by a change to the print head cleaning process.• When the printer is idle the fan on the main board is turned off making the printer quieter.• Tracing paper media support improved.• Corrects Service Request 00010007 (carriage motor timing) when the printer is powered on.• When loading media eliminates damage to the leading edge of the media.• The “Auto Nozzle Check” from the EPSON Service Utility 2 now functions correctly and ejects the media.• Ink smudges on the edges of the media are eliminated when performing border less printing.• The print head cleaning operation was modified to correct issues related to nozzle loss, air bubbles on the cap assembly,and cross color contamination.• Yellow now prints correctly at the right side of an image when the image size is 1.1mm wider then the media.• Horizontal banding is corrected for the following medias: Single weight Matte Paper, Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper,Premium Luster Photo Paper (250) Roll, Premium Luster Photo Paper (250) Cut sheet, and Premium Semimatte PhotoPaper (250) Cut sheet by improvements made to the paper feed adjustment values for each media.• An additional Yellow test pattern was added to the auto nozzle.• Erroneous paper eject service request 00010033 error is corrected by reducing chatter in the paper eject system.• The Dual CMYK ink set change function is removed. (Dual CMYK is not a supported model in the US)• Automatic Sheet Feeder service request message 00010031 is now reported correctly.• Auto nozzle check pattern, Auto Uni-d/Bi-d adjustment, Status sheet, and the Job information sheet print correctly onany size media.[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=52855\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Not true. There were reasons why it happened - the cleaning process itself involves a wiper that transported debris from clogged nozzles to nozzles that were previously clean. Probably that is one of the reasons why their latest firmware update was targeted at improving how the cleaning process works.

Tim, yes I checked the 4800 site and there are updates. I sent Epson an email asking for more information about how they relate to what was packed with my printer, making the point that they should provide easy access on their website to the history of versions and what "improvements" were made in each so we could assess what to update. It does happen from time to time that "updates" repair old issues and cause new ones, so some care is warranted.

Tim, yes I checked the 4800 site and there are updates. <snip> It does happen from time to time that "updates" repair old issues and cause new ones, so some care is warranted.[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=52884\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Exactly, Mark. I have an update for my 4800 in hand, but I won't install it until I know what it fixes and what it breaks.

Peter, I had a conversation with Epson this afternoon on the 4800 updates, relative to what was supplied on my CD-ROM which came packed with my printer (disk CPD-19585R1 disk vol 1.1A, CD# 962-5310). The firmware up-date improves ink management - something to do with more accurate measurement of ink remaining in the tanks. Therefore it is recommended. Also, if your firmware is older than the previous version, this up-date also includes the ability to feed glossy media through the paper tray. The driver up-date only adds microsoft certification. Otherwise it is the same. There are no changes in the status monitor and the ICC profiles. The up-date to the remote panel has a printer watcher, which is a more "real-time" version of the progress bar on the status monitor. It also has a paper feed adjuster which provides for micro-fine adjustment of speed steps for non-Epson media that people may wish to undertake. For my purposes none of it is necessary so I'm leaving well enough alone. But good to know they are working on fine-tuning this and that. As for causing problems, they told me that the up-dates are tested for a wide variety of conditions and they think they are OK, but at the same time they caution obviously they can't guarantee that someone won't have an issue of some kind, given the infinite variety of computing environments out there.

I also discussed with them the desirability of posting up-date improvement histories on the web so without downloading anything we can see at a glance everything of the kind we just finished discussing - the rep told me it is a matter they are considering.

Peter, I had a conversation with Epson this afternoon on the 4800 updates,

<snip>

Thanks, Mark. Your usual exhaustive and complete research. Like you, I think I'll pass on the current firmware upgrade. A friend of mine did it with no ill efffects, but he prints gloss black and wanted to use third party papers. Like you, I'm a matte guy.

The only complaint I have about the 4800 (other than its voracious thirst for ink) is on-going misfeeds of letter-size stock from the tray. If they fix that, I'l upgrade, until then I'll pass.

Mark Graf - is the uniform depletion showing on both the LCD panel of the printer and in the status monitor? If the LCD panel shows them at different levels - which they should be - (unless you make the same print over and over again! - haha) - but the status monitor shows them at the same level, I would recommend re-installing the status monitor - it may have become corrupted.

Peter - I am NOT having any problem with misfeeds in the paper tray. Are you sure the tray is installed properly and do you have the two plastic guides (left and bottom) snugly up against the paper and paper snugly against the right side of the tray? If you have it closely packed from all sides it should feed properly - unless there is a mechanical problem with your paper feed.

As for ink consumption - based on my data to date, I am finding it considerably more economical on ink than the 4000 was - in respect of both cleaning episodes and the amount of ink laid-down per print. I am planning to do an article on this, but I need to accumulate another few months of data to make sure that my sample of printer behaviour and printing performance is "representative" and reliable.

Peter - I am NOT having any problem with misfeeds in the paper tray. Are you sure the tray is installed properly and do you have the two plastic guides (left and bottom) snugly up against the paper and paper snugly against the right side of the tray? If you have it closely packed from all sides it should feed properly - unless there is a mechanical problem with your paper feed.

As for ink consumption - based on my data to date, I am finding it considerably more economical on ink than the 4000 was - in respect of both cleaning episodes and the amount of ink laid-down per print.

Feed unit seems in good repair. I have snugged up the guides and the paper is closely packed. I have problems with the reverse side of DuoBrite Matte when I've already printed on one side.

Epson Pro Graphics says to clean the feed rollers. Not easy if you can't get at the rear of the unit. I'm going to move my printer soon and I'll ensure rear access. Dirty rollers makes sense as a diagnosis because this problem has only recently appeared.

The printer's thirst is probably due to its love of making LARGE prints. So much more fun than my 1160.

Well, if you're making large prints - lots of ink - surprise surprise. Yes, the dirty roller idea makes sense. I've had the same on an ordinary HP deskjet office printer, which is so badly designed it is almost impossible to clean them properly.